What is the Best Way to Learn a New Language: Discover the Fastest Methods for English Learners

Guinness World Records recognizes Powell Janulus as “the person who speaks the most languages in the world,” with fluency in 42 languages.

Janulus opened a language school in Canada and taught language learning methods

Yet this linguistic prodigy has openly admitted that he struggled to adapt to traditional, classroom-based language instruction.

Throughout his life, and across decades of research by language educators, one question has been asked again and again:

Is there a way to learn languages that is more natural, more casual, yet still highly effective?

This leads to a deeper problem. When prodigies, polyglots, teachers, and researchers all offer confident but conflicting advice, who should the average learner actually listen to? Is there a single best way to learn a language for everyone?

Why Language Learning Advice Feels So Confusing?

What People Online Swear By？

If you have ever seriously searched online for “how to learn a foreign language well,” you will quickly notice a strange pattern: almost everyone sounds absolutely certain, yet no two people seem to agree.

A PhD student in education might tell you:

“Don’t rush to understand. Just listen more. Massive input works unconsciously.”

A seasoned polyglot, on the other hand, may insist:

“If you don’t speak, you will never learn.”

Then there is a more systematic voice, arguing that language learning must follow a strict progression:

start with high-frequency words, use spaced repetition, move from A0 to C2 with different priorities at each stage, and avoid mixing methods at random, which only wastes time.

What Research Actually Shows？

From the perspective of second language acquisition research, these seemingly conflicting recommendations all revolve around a single core issue: under what conditions is language actually acquired?

When it comes to input, research by Park challenges the idea that mere exposure is enough. Their findings suggest that input only leads to acquisition when it is comprehensible, for example through paraphrasing, repetition, or clarification during interaction.

Another line of research emphasizes the communicative nature of language. Studies show that when learners are required to engage in real communication, they become acutely aware of what they cannot yet express. This awareness of what they cannot yet express often drives further progress. Research by Alimatova indicates that communication-oriented learning significantly improves speaking ability and learner confidence, especially when interaction and feedback are present.

As for whether systematic instruction matters, Loewen and his research team offer a restrained conclusion: instruction does not change the natural order of language development, but it can significantly accelerate progress and reduce the risk of learners remaining stuck at the intermediate level.

Taken together, these findings suggest that advice detached from a learner’s actual situation is rarely meaningful.

The Stages Every Language Learner Goes Through

To understand the best way to learn a language, we first need to recognize that most learners go through a set of remarkably similar stages.

• Stage 1: Heavy exposure with little understanding At the beginning, you listen and read a lot, yet feel like nothing is sticking. The focus at this stage is not comprehension, but familiarity with sounds, rhythm, and recurring patterns.
• Stage 2: Understanding without being able to speak Next, comprehension improves, but speaking remains difficult. This happens because receptive skills typically develop before productive ones. At this stage, input without output slows progress, while chasing perfect expression too early often leads to frustration.
• Stage 3: Speaking begins, errors increase Once you start using the language, mistakes become more visible. This is not regression. It means you are discovering what you still lack. At this stage, conversation and feedback lead to noticeable improvement.
• Stage 4: Functional fluency with slow progress Later on, you can handle most everyday interactions, but progress slows down. Certain errors persist, creating the well-known “intermediate plateau.” At this point, more targeted practice and structured learning become increasingly important.

This explains why language learning advice feels so confusing. Most advice is not wrong, but it only applies to a specific stage.

What Actually Works？

3.1 Set a Clear Goal

(Before you start)

Before choosing any method, clarify why you are learning the language. Is it for reading, writing, or speaking? If your goal is communication but you rely mainly on reading and memorization, progress will feel slow. Once your goal is clear, many choices become simpler:

• If you want to speak, prioritize listening and speaking practice
• If you want to read, focus more on texts and vocabulary
• If you want to pass exams, structured and targeted practice matters more

3.2 Get Massive Exposure

(Most relevant to Stage 1)

You need large amounts of exposure to the language. The format matters less than whether you can roughly understand it and are willing to return to it repeatedly. Good options include:

• TV shows, films, documentaries
• Podcasts, radio programs
• Storybooks, news, comics, blogs
• Games, YouTube videos, short-form content

Not understanding much at first is normal. Your brain gradually adapts to sounds, rhythm, and common expressions.

3.3 Use Materials You Actually Enjoy

(Most relevant to Stage 1)

Many learners quit because they choose materials for their perceived professionalism rather than their ability to sustain interest.

• Stories are easier to stick with than textbooks
• Content tied to personal interests is easier to remember
• Emotional engagement strengthens memory

If you are willing to revisit it, it is good material.

3.4 Start Using the Language Early

(Most relevant to Stage 2)

Without real use, learners often understand but cannot speak. Effective use includes chatting with partners, sending voice messages, writing short notes or journals, talking to yourself, and retelling content. You only discover gaps when you attempt to express yourself.

3.5 Do Not Fear Mistakes

(Most relevant to Stage 3)

Fear of mistakes is one of the biggest barriers for adult learners. Children progress quickly because they are unafraid of sounding foolish. You do not need to wait until you are “ready” to speak.

3.6 Grammar Is a Tool, Not a Starting Point

(Most relevant to Stage 3)

Grammar is most useful after you are already using the language and notice recurring errors. It helps refine expression but does not need to be memorized exhaustively at the beginning.

3.7 Listening and Speaking Require Separate Training

(Relevant at all stages)

Reading ability does not automatically translate into speaking ability. If speaking is your goal, you must train listening without text, pronunciation, intonation, shadowing, and speaking aloud. Recognizing a word does not mean you can pronounce it correctly.

3.8 Integrate Language into Daily Life

(Relevant at all stages)

Fast progress usually comes from frequent use, not extreme intensity. Describe your surroundings while walking, listen during commutes, set periods where only the target language is allowed, and change device interfaces. Frequency matters more than formality.

3.9 Consistency Matters More Than Methods

(Relevant at all stages)

Stopping entirely is the greatest threat to progress. Set a minimum daily commitment, even 10 to 15 minutes, and avoid consecutive days of zero exposure. Slow progress is fine. Stopping is not.

3.10 Use Technology Thoughtfully

(Relevant at all stages)

Apps, courses, and platforms can provide structure, motivation, and practice opportunities. But real progress always comes from direct engagement with the language itself.

Choosing the Right Technology

Here, we recommend 51Talk, which addresses several key challenges.

First, it ensures learners actually speak. 51Talk focuses on one-on-one online lessons with instructors. For learners stuck understanding but not speaking, this often enables the transition from Stage 2 to Stage 3.

Second, it supports long-term consistency. Many learners struggle not with effort, but with persistence. Flexible scheduling allows lessons to fit real-life routines.

Third, it reduces forgetting. Lesson replays allow learners to review their own output and instructor feedback repeatedly.

The homepage of 51talk official website

Returning to the question that opened this article, is there a single best way to learn a language for everyone?

The answer is no.

Whether it is a prodigy like Powell Janulus, a seasoned researcher, or a multilingual practitioner sharing experiences online, apparent contradictions usually arise because they are talking about learners at different stages and under different conditions.

Research does not offer a universal formula, but it consistently points to one reality: language is not “taught” into existence. It is acquired through appropriate input, real use, and sustained feedback. Methods and tools matter only insofar as they help learners enter these conditions more effectively and more consistently.